Dookem at Skookum - How The Bad Science of Jeffrey Meldrum Collided With Academia

 Dookem at Skookum - How The Bad Science of Jeffrey Meldrum Collided With Academia

Jeffrey Meldrum, sometimes referred to as Dr. Meldrum though that distinction seems undeserved, is seen by some as the successor to Grover Krantz, a notable figure in cryptozoology. Despite holding a position at Idaho State University, a tenure that might seem fitting given his controversial interests, many in the academic community question the seriousness of a university that entertains such pursuits. Hosting conferences on topics like Bigfoot does little to enhance its reputation as a center of genuine academic inquiry.

Meldrum, identified as a primatologist and anatomist (albeit with a touch of irony), has focused his research on peculiarities such as a midtarsal joint, which he argues is unique to Bigfoot after a decade of study.

While Meldrum has amassed a collection of hundreds of Bigfoot prints and professes a belief in scientific principles alongside his belief in Bigfoot, his colleagues at Idaho State University remain skeptical. Some have even called for the revocation of his tenure. D.P. Wells, a physics professor at the university, once quipped about Meldrum's research direction, humorously wondering if he planned to investigate Santa Claus next.

Meldrum's approach, blending myth with mathematical analysis and fable with forensic methods, has alienated many in the scientific community. Martin Hackworth, a senior lecturer in the physics department at Idaho State University, criticized Meldrum's stance, stating that a true scientist should not be a believer.

On campus, where establishments like Bigfoot Pizza exist and where Meldrum recently delivered a keynote address at a Bigfoot gathering, some scientists express embarrassment over what they view as Meldrum's "pseudo-academic" endeavors. His appearances on popular media platforms like the Discovery Channel and National Geographic, along with the release of his book "Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science" by Forge Books, an imprint known for science fiction novels, further fuel the controversy.

Hackworth dismissed Meldrum's research as a joke and revealed that 30 professors signed a letter reprimanding the university for hosting Meldrum's Bigfoot gathering on campus. The clash between Meldrum and his critics reached its peak in the "Dookem at Skookum" episode.

In essence, the "Skookum Cast," a term coined to describe an impression believed by Meldrum and Bigfoot enthusiasts to be the outline of a reclining Bigfoot reaching for apples, was debunked by paleontologist Anton Wroblewski as merely an elk's resting place. Elk, when kneeling, leave similar indentations, which Wroblewski pointed out and effectively ended the debate.

Meldrum also confronts a point of contention with me regarding the Patterson-Gimlin film. In a documentary, I observed him incorrectly identifying a midtarsal joint in the subject's feet. What he mistakes for a biological feature is actually the result of ill-fitting footwear on Bob H.'s feet, causing the suit material to flop around. This discrepancy becomes evident upon close examination of the film, particularly in the initial moments when the image stabilizes. A thin and unusual movement on the feet is visible, indicating the footwear issue rather than a midtarsal joint. This oversight highlights the importance of proper fitting in costume design, an aspect overlooked in the suit preparation for Bob H. Despite meticulous efforts in fitting and padding the suit, including the use of horsehides and modifications such as separating the head portion from the body and adding shoulder pads, the footwear was not appropriately sized for Bob H.'s feet. This oversight likely influenced Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin's choice of location, as they needed terrain conducive to masking the suit's imperfections while maintaining the overall credibility of the image. The combination of a fallen tree and a sandbar provided a suitable backdrop, aligning perfectly with their objectives.

Doesn't any good location scout for a film production do the same? That is, find the perfect backdrop for their production needs?

The failure to recreate the Patterson-Gimlin film using period-appropriate equipment and settings, despite being touted by some as proof of its authenticity, has been addressed by skeptics. They argue that the absence of credible replication attempts is not evidence of the film's validity but rather of the lack of interest in investing resources to confirm a matter already widely regarded as a hoax.

More importantly, the Bigfoot community has the logic exactly backward: the question is not why no one has replicated the film if it’s a hoax, but instead why no one has replicated the film if it’s real. In other words, why does the best Bigfoot footage date back to the era of the hippies and the 1960s?

In the realm of authentic scientific inquiry, the focus is on testing hypotheses rather than seeking to prove them. This fundamental principle, which seemed to elude Meldrum in the fallout from the Dookem at Skookum episode, underscores the rigorous standards of scientific investigation.

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